Mall disturbance leads to arrest

Friday

Jan 12, 2018 at 6:14 PMJan 12, 2018 at 6:15 PM

Double T Clothing

Austin L. Miller @almillerosb

Ocala police officials arrested a 19-year-old Ocala man and charged him with aggravated assault without intent to kill and battery in an incident at the Paddock Mall where a store owner was punched and threatened with a knife.

Rajheem Tucker met with Detective Jeff Hurst at the Ocala Police Department on Thursday and told him that he and the store owner argued over a belt he wanted to return and during the confrontation, the store owner spit on him. He said he slapped the man and the man threw a phone, which struck him on the head.

Tucker said the man got a pole and he pulled out a knife and chased the store owner to the back because the man was armed with a stick.

After the interview on Thursday, Tucker was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail. Tucker was released early Friday after posting a $2,500 bond.

Officials said the altercation occurred at the Double T Clothing on Dec. 27 at the Paddock Mall, 3100 SW College Road.

The fight began because the store owner’s wife had refused to take the belt because another hole had been put in it.